Cholesterol Control: 5 Important Approaches

Diet changes and exercise can effectively lower cholesterol levels. In this article, we’re going to examine five key ways you can lower blood cholesterol for healthier lives.

Cholesterol: a feared word associated with serious chronic diseases that affect the quality of life. Find out what you can do to control cholesterol here  .

Have you ever wondered how you  can achieve cholesterol control ? Or what improvements you should make to your lifestyle?

Below are five ways you can improve your health. At the same time, these can help avoid complications. Know that there is no way you should ignore cholesterol!

First and foremost, it’s important to understand that controlling cholesterol isn’t all that difficult. However, this only applies if you take the step and put your health on the right track. Always remember: “You are what you eat”.

Cholesterol is the body’s fatty substance made by the liver and your diet. It is divided into the following categories:

• HDL, or good cholesterol, which lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• LDL, or bad cholesterol, which is harmful to your health.

We’ll show you a number of points you should consider in order to significantly reduce the associated health problems.

Don’t worry, you will see a difference with these simple steps. You will also feel healthier and more balanced.

5 ways to control cholesterol

1. Avoid a sedentary lifestyle

Do cardiovascular exercise for at least 90 minutes a week for optimal cardiovascular health. Exercising also helps you lose weight and control your cholesterol.

Cardiovascular exercise includes any activity

• in which the main muscles are repeatedly activated and
• in which the heart rate increases.

At the same time, the harmful effects of physical inactivity are combated. So go for a walk or use elastic bands, ride a bike, row or swim. Any activity is fine.

Because a lack of exercise can lead to serious consequences. And these can even get worse if your cholesterol levels rise too.

2. Eat more vegetables

Try to have at least one more meatless meal a week.

Replace animal protein (beef, pork, eggs, fish) with vegetable protein, such as:

• Beans
• lenses
• tofu
• Quinoa
• Etc.

You can enjoy these vegetable proteins in salads or soups, for example, and thus reduce the absorption of saturated fat. However, if you are having a hard time cutting your meat consumption, try eating high-calorie vegetables, such as:

• Carrots
• broccoli
• Cabbage

This way you can counteract the fat that you like to eat.

3. Reduce your consumption of animal fats

This step is very important for the optimal health of your veins and arteries.

Remember that some of the cholesterol we use comes from food.  Foods high in animal fat are high in cholesterol. A ticking time bomb to be avoided.

Avoid high-fat foods, such as processed meat, for example:

• sausage
• salami
• fatty red meat, like ribs
• fatty part of beef, veal, pork and lamb

Also, remove the skin from chicken and turkey meat. In addition, you should also avoid certain full-fat products such as milk, cheese, and butter.

4. Fiber, a great ally

We tend to see dietary fiber as a huge sacrifice that we must make in order to achieve a goal. However, this is not the case. You can maintain a balanced, low-cholesterol diet while enjoying high quality food and a healthy body.

However, you should be  extra careful to include higher fiber foods in your diet. Soluble fiber can bind to bile, which is made up of cholesterol, and then clear it up in the intestines.

You can find soluble fiber in the following foods:

• oatmeal
• linseed
• barley
• Legumes
• Fruit and root vegetables
• traditional grain

5. It is time to fight obesity

Obesity is undoubtedly one of the most serious consequences of cholesterol.

So far we’ve shown you ways to control your cholesterol. Note, however, that you should always keep an eye on your weight, otherwise you will be walking a dangerous path.

If you are overweight or obese, you should lose that extra weight. Because  losing weight helps reduce bad cholesterol.

Losing 4 to 7 kilograms can have an amazingly positive impact on your cholesterol levels.